1. Field
Aspects relate generally to pressure transducers and more particularly to hammer union pressure transducers.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A well-known quick connect between pipes and the like is known as a union and comprises a male thread on a male component that cooperates with a female thread on a collar to provide a quick connect/disconnect coupling. A more specialized quick connect/disconnect coupling is known as a hammer union, shown in FIG. 1. The hammer union coupling 10 includes a male component 12 with threads 14 on the exterior surface, an internal sealing surface 16, and a coupling component 18 having a smooth nose 20 abutting the sealing surface 16. An additional seal 22 between the male component 12 and the coupling component 18 may or may not be employed. A hammer nut 24 having female threads 26 on the interior surface is threaded to the male threads 14. Ears 28 are formed on the exterior surface of the nut 24. The hammer nut 24 includes a ledge 30 that engages shoulders 32 formed on the coupling end to cinch the coupling end to the male end as the nut is tightened. Hammer unions take their name from the fact that ears on the hammer nut may be struck with a hammer to cinch up the coupling.
Hammer union pressure transducers have been developed to sense the pressure within the pipe. Typical hammer union pressure transducers replace the coupling component 18 of the hammer union and couple directly with the male component 12 via the nut 24. The transducers include the same or similar smooth nose to abut the internal sealing surface of the male component. As in hammer union couplings, the hammer nut engages with a shoulder formed on the pressure transducer to cinch the pressure transducer to the male component as the hammer nut is tightened. Exemplary hammer union pressure transducers include Viatran® Models 509, 510 and 520 available from the assignee of the present application (Viatran®, a Dynisco® Company, 3829 Forest Parkway, Suite 500, Wheatfield, N.Y. 14120, USA).